As a Care Experienced, Care Leaver, Estranged or Refugee student you will be receiving support from our Student Success and Retention Team throughout your time at Bath. The team will signpost you to appropriate support and services within and outside the University when you need it. This page provides a summary of the key services you may want to access.

Student Retention and Success Team

The Student Retention and Success Team (SRS) like to engage pre-entry, during your studies and post graduation. SRS Team meet with students a minimum of twice during an academic year, each Semester, every year including a placement year. We ask students to book a SRS check in appointment once a Semester. There are two Semesters within the academic year at the University of Bath.

Students can meet with the team in person on Claverton Down campus or at Virgil Building in the City Centre or online via Microsoft Teams regularly.

This is an opportunity to get to know one another, see how you are doing, review how the transition into university is going, what support may be required and offer information and advice to help ensure your success at university. We help remind students of the support available and recommend engagement with other services within the university including the careers team. We can also provide other support, such as:

advice on the application process
a meeting or a chat over the phone before you apply to university
guidance on funding you will be eligible for and how to apply
coordinating other support services on your behalf
putting you in touch with networks of other students with similar lived experiences, including students with care experience, without support from parents (estranged), refuge or with caring responsibilities
invite you to free social pizza events to meet other students- invite you to a free Christmas Day Meal on campus*
invite you to a free sit-down meal in a local Bath restaurant to celebrate the end of the academic year*
free storage and removals of belongings*
discount on University accommodation over the Summer Period*
a friendly face at the University and someone to talk to.

*support available for Care Experienced, Care Leaver, Estranged and Refugee students.

Student Support

The Student Support Advice Team gives students help and advice on all welfare and wellbeing issues. Advisors are available every day in person during the week 9am-5pm, and including weekends, at the 4 West Roper Centre. The Adviser will help identify the best information and support for you.

Student Support provides all students with support and guidance during their studies, including Therapeutic Services & Mental Health, Disability Support, Student Money Advice and [Wellbeing](https://www.bath.ac.uk/professional-services/wellbeing-service/0. Students supported by the Student Retention and Success Team have priority access to the Wellbeing Service.

Accommodation

If you are a Care Leaver, Care Experienced, Estranged or Refugee undergraduate student:

you are guaranteed a place in University accommodation for 365 days a year for the duration of your course
this includes the vacation periods (summer/ and festive periods) and if you need to return for short periods between private housing contracts
get in touch with the Student Retention and Success Team to arrange this guaranteed offer: studentsuccess@bath.ac.uk.

You can find out more about arranging this by visiting the West Accommodation centre on campus, or emailing reslifesupport@bath.ac.uk and stating you are a Care Leaver, Care Experienced, Estranged or a Refugee. Further information about accommodation can be found here.

Free temporary summer storage and removal service

Free temporary summer storage for your belongings and removal service from one accommodation to another within Bath is available to students that are Care Leavers, Estranged or Refugees.

To request this service please complete the form: Student Belongings Storage & Removal Service.

Discounted university accommodation over summer period

If you would like to move into university accommodation in the summer, there will be a 25% discount on rent over the summer months for students that are Care Leavers, Estranged or Refugees. Summer accommodation is available both on campus and off campus in the city centre depending on budget and availability.

If you are staying over the summer and require accommodation, contact: studentsuccess@bath.ac.uk.

Government funding

If you have Refugee status, you are classed as having independent status and will be able to claim the maximum funding from Student Finance.

If you have been financially self-supporting for three years prior to the start of the course and can evidence this, you will also be classed as having independent status and be able to claim the maximum funding from Student Finance.

Independent status also applies to students with care experience, and/or without support from parents (Estranged). If you think this applies to you, please arrange to meet a member of Student Money Advice Team for further financial support.

If you have been self-supporting financially for three years prior to the start of your course and can evidence this as a Care Leaver, Care Experienced, Estranged or Refugee applicant please also contact the Student Retention & Success team

Find out more about government funding from:

Other University funding

For students joining the University of Bath in September 2024 onwards: Undergraduate Care Leavers, Estranged students, Young Adult Carers and Refugees may also be entitled to additional university funding. This includes:

The Bath Bursary, a package worth up to £2,750 in Year 1 and up to £2,000 from Year 2 onwards
The Gold Scholarship, a financial and enrichment package worth up to £5,000 a year
The Accommodation Bursary, worth either £1000 or £500 off your first-year accommodation costs.

The Bath Bursary is automatically awarded provided we have received confirmation from the Student Loans Company that your household income is £30,000 or below.

New first-year undergraduates who have made Bath their Firm or Insurance choice through UCAS, will be invited to apply to the Gold Scholarship Programme through their University of Bath Application Tracker. We must have received confirmation from your student loans provider that your household income is below £30,000. Invitations to apply will be sent at the end of May 2024 and interested students will have until 9am (GMT) on Monday 2nd September 2024 to submit an application.

Please get in contact with studentsuccess@bath.ac.uk if you would like any advice and/or assistance with your Gold Scholarship application.

There is no application process for the Accommodation Bursary. Awards will be made provided the University has received an eligible household income assessment for you and you have been housed by the University.

Make sure you have not removed permission for you/your family's household income assessment to be shared with the University by your student loans awarding agency. Without this, our Scholarship and Bursary Team are unable to assess your eligibility for our funding awards.

Budgeting

For information on budgeting, top money saving tips, bank accounts, scams, dealing with debt and other sources of funding, please visit Managing Your Money.

If you encounter financial difficulties whilst at University you can also apply to the University of Bath Hardship Fund.

If you are care experienced, estranged, a young adult carer or refugee, the Student Money Advice Team can offer you 121 personalised money advice and budgeting sessions.

Academic Skills

The Skills Centre provides year round study skills classes, including 1:1 tutorials. If you want to improve your grades, manage your learning or get some help with an assignment ask to be referred to the Skills Centre for one-to-one support.

All students supported by our team have 1:1 access to a Study Skills Tutor, including writing and exam skills, presentations, groupwork, time management and digital skills, maths, statistics, motivation, organisational issues or other areas for development. The idea is to have an opportunity to have a constructive conversation, with some practical guidance from a Tutor.

The Student Retention & Success Team students are encouraged to meet with an Academic Skills Tutor and are referred to the team for 1:1 support. You can access pre-sessional, academic, mathematics, language and digital skills support and enhancement, both for your studies and future employment directly.

Health services

The University of Bath has an onsite NHS Medical Centre which is available for all students to register with. Based on campus they offer a range of services including GP clinics, prescriptions and urgent appointments. The Student Retention & Success Team students can request for university staff to contact the University Medical centre on their behalf and arrange appointments.

Careers

Careers offer information, advice and guidance to students, researchers and graduates and work with employers to connect them with our students and recent graduates.

Use MyFuture to access appointments, opportunities, resources, events and much more. The Student Retention & Success Team students can receive 1:1 specialist support from a dedicated career consultant with a focus on under represented groups of students and those with lived experiences that may require additional support transitioning from education into graduate employment.

Chaplaincy

Offers you a place of quiet and support if you need to chat or somewhere to discuss any issues. The Chaplaincy is staffed by friendly Chaplains, is open for regular events each week, and is home to several Faith Societies. People of all faiths or none are welcome. They offer counsel, advice or just a listening ear. Feel free to pop in any time.

Students’ Union Advice and Support Service

Students’ Union Advice and Support Service (SU) provides independent, confidential and nonjudgmental information and support to all students, including academic appeals and reviews, considering changing course, academic misconduct or disciplinary issues, housing, health and wellbeing. They also have contact with the Academic Reps, Hall Reps and Peer Mentors.

The SU has a job link service that helps students find work during term and vacation time.

E-Mentoring

There are employment opportunities for Student Retention & Success Team students to engage in university wide programmes. Details regarding both paid Outreach Ambassador roles and E-mentoring opportunities are available. Please get in touch with Widening Participation. There are also opportunities to get involved with Campus Events and support open days. Do look out for university teams recruitment drives via your university email account in October/November each academic year.

Security

The Security Service on campus can help, whatever the problem. They are available 24 hours a day/ seven days a week/365 days a year. The security team support students with reporting and claiming lost property, reporting an incident, storing your bicycle, using the electronic cycle loan scheme and working closely with the Student Support Team.

Key Contacts and Support

a summary guide of useful contacts for students supported by the Student Success and Retention Team